diff --git a/patch/reflow.c b/patch/reflow.c
index 2fd80f0..bf145a6 100644
--- a/patch/reflow.c
+++ b/patch/reflow.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ treflow_moveimages(int oldy, int newy)
 void
 treflow(int col, int row)
 {
-	int i, j, x, x2;
+	int i, j;
 	int oce, nce, bot, scr;
 	int ox = 0, oy = -term.histf, nx = 0, ny = -1, len;
 	int cy = -1; /* proxy for new y coordinate of cursor */
@@ -220,13 +220,12 @@ treflow(int col, int row)
 	}
 
 	/* expand images into new text cells */
-	for (im = term.images; im; im = next) {
-		next = im->next;
-		if (im->x < col) {
-			line = TLINE(im->y);
-			x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, col);
-			for (x = im->x; x < x2; x++)
-				line[x].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
+	for (im = term.images; im; im = im->next) {
+		j = MIN(im->x + im->cols, col);
+		line = TLINE(im->y);
+		for (i = im->x; i < j; i++) {
+			if (!(line[i].mode & ATTR_SET))
+				line[i].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
 		}
 	}
 	#endif // SIXEL_PATCH
diff --git a/st.c b/st.c
index f1fc668..02725e9 100644
--- a/st.c
+++ b/st.c
@@ -2748,7 +2748,11 @@ strhandle(void)
 			} else {
 				term.images = newimages;
 			}
+			#if COLUMNS_PATCH && !REFLOW
+			x2 = MIN(x2, term.maxcol) - 1;
+			#else
 			x2 = MIN(x2, term.col) - 1;
+			#endif // COLUMNS_PATCH
 			if (IS_SET(MODE_SIXEL_SDM)) {
 				/* Sixel display mode: put the sixel in the upper left corner of
 				 * the screen, disable scrolling (the sixel will be truncated if
@@ -3521,7 +3525,7 @@ tresize(int col, int row)
 	#endif // COLUMNS_PATCH
 	int *bp;
 	#if SIXEL_PATCH
-	int x, x2;
+	int x2;
 	Line line;
 	ImageList *im, *next;
 	#endif // SIXEL_PATCH
@@ -3628,8 +3632,7 @@ tresize(int col, int row)
 	}
 
 	#if SIXEL_PATCH
-	/* expand images into new text cells to prevent them from being deleted in
-	 * xfinishdraw() that draws the images */
+	/* expand images into new text cells */
 	for (i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
 		for (im = term.images; im; im = next) {
 			next = im->next;
@@ -3654,9 +3657,9 @@ tresize(int col, int row)
 			}
 			line = term.line[im->y];
 			#endif // SCROLLBACK_PATCH
-			x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, term.col);
-			for (x = im->x; x < x2; x++)
-				line[x].mode |= ATTR_SIXEL;
+			x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, col) - 1;
+			if (mincol < col && x2 >= mincol && im->x < col)
+				tsetsixelattr(line, MAX(im->x, mincol), x2);
 		}
 		tswapscreen();
 	}
diff --git a/x.c b/x.c
index bf403ff..16eb15c 100644
--- a/x.c
+++ b/x.c
@@ -3167,9 +3167,14 @@ xfinishdraw(void)
 	ImageList *im, *next;
 	Imlib_Image origin, scaled;
 	XGCValues gcvalues;
-	GC gc;
+	GC gc = NULL;
 	int width, height;
-	int x, x2, del, destx, desty;
+	int del, desty, mode, x1, x2, xend;
+	#if ANYSIZE_PATCH
+	int bw = win.hborderpx, bh = win.vborderpx;
+	#else
+	int bw = borderpx, bh = borderpx;
+	#endif // ANYSIZE_PATCH
 	Line line;
 	#endif // SIXEL_PATCH
 
@@ -3260,43 +3265,50 @@ xfinishdraw(void)
 			}
 		}
 
-		/* clip the image so it does not go over to borders */
-		x2 = MIN(im->x + im->cols, term.col);
-		width = MIN(width, (x2 - im->x) * win.cw);
-
-		/* delete the image if the text cells behind it have been changed */
-		#if SCROLLBACK_PATCH || REFLOW_PATCH
-		line = TLINE(im->y);
-		#else
-		line = term.line[im->y];
-		#endif // SCROLLBACK_PATCH | REFLOW_PATCH
-		for (del = 0, x = im->x; x < x2; x++) {
-			if ((del = !(line[x].mode & ATTR_SIXEL)))
-				break;
-		}
-		if (del) {
-			delete_image(im);
-			continue;
+		/* create GC */
+		if (!gc) {
+			memset(&gcvalues, 0, sizeof(gcvalues));
+			gcvalues.graphics_exposures = False;
+			gc = XCreateGC(xw.dpy, xw.win, GCGraphicsExposures, &gcvalues);
 		}
 
-		/* draw the image */
-		memset(&gcvalues, 0, sizeof(gcvalues));
-		gcvalues.graphics_exposures = False;
-		gc = XCreateGC(xw.dpy, xw.win, GCGraphicsExposures, &gcvalues);
-		#if ANYSIZE_PATCH
-		destx = win.hborderpx + im->x * win.cw;
-		desty = win.vborderpx + im->y * win.ch;
-		#else
-		destx = borderpx + im->x * win.cw;
-		desty = borderpx + im->y * win.ch;
-		#endif // ANYSIZE_PATCH
+		/* set the clip mask */
+		desty = bh + im->y * win.ch;
 		if (im->clipmask) {
 			XSetClipMask(xw.dpy, gc, (Drawable)im->clipmask);
-			XSetClipOrigin(xw.dpy, gc, destx, desty);
+			XSetClipOrigin(xw.dpy, gc, bw + im->x * win.cw, desty);
 		}
-		XCopyArea(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap, xw.buf, gc, 0, 0, width, height, destx, desty);
-		XFreeGC(xw.dpy, gc);
+
+		/* draw only the parts of the image that are not erased */
+		#if SCROLLBACK_PATCH || REFLOW_PATCH
+		line = TLINE(im->y) + im->x;
+		#else
+		line = term.line[im->y] + im->x;
+		#endif // SCROLLBACK_PATCH || REFLOW_PATCH
+		xend = MIN(im->x + im->cols, term.col);
+		for (del = 1, x1 = im->x; x1 < xend; x1 = x2) {
+			mode = line->mode & ATTR_SIXEL;
+			for (x2 = x1 + 1; x2 < xend; x2++) {
+				if (((++line)->mode & ATTR_SIXEL) != mode)
+					break;
+			}
+			if (mode) {
+				XCopyArea(xw.dpy, (Drawable)im->pixmap, xw.buf, gc,
+				    (x1 - im->x) * win.cw, 0,
+				    MIN((x2 - x1) * win.cw, width - (x1 - im->x) * win.cw), height,
+				    bw + x1 * win.cw, desty);
+				del = 0;
+			}
+		}
+		if (im->clipmask)
+			XSetClipMask(xw.dpy, gc, None);
+
+		/* if all the parts are erased, we can delete the entire image */
+		if (del && im->x + im->cols <= term.col)
+			delete_image(im);
 	}
+	if (gc)
+		XFreeGC(xw.dpy, gc);
 	#endif // SIXEL_PATCH
 
 	#if !SINGLE_DRAWABLE_BUFFER_PATCH